Star Pictures – Mount Gambier

On the 17th May 1911 in the Old Institute building located on Commercial Street,Star Pictures Mt Gambier opened. Operated by A Rook, the re-modelled interior featured dull red fabric to cover the proscenium and the sides of the screen, which was a white sheet of fabric (‘Star Pictures’ 1911, p. 2) Rook had also installed electric light and there was an orchestra pit with especially chosen lamps for use of the orchestra so as not to distract the audience (IMDB p2) from the movies themselves.

Border Watch, Mount Gambier 17th May 1911 (image courtesy of Trove)

Border Watch, Mount Gambier, 17th May 1911 (Image courtesy of Trove)

Interior, Star Theatre Mount Gambier, c 1920 (Image courtesy of SLSA)

I can’t quite see this giveaway attracting the younger audiences of today, but Star Pictures must have felt that a free ruler for the upcoming school year would be enough to entice them to the pictures (Border Watch 1911, p. 3).

Border Watch, Mount Gambier 20th Jan 1925 (Image courtesy of Trove)

Star theatre re-opening night. c 1925 (Image courtesy of SLSA)

Here is how the building exterior looks today.

Image courtesy of Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/pMwsCiB2WLQgmzKZ6

References:

‘Free Rules for Children’ The Border Watch, 20 January, 1925, p. 3. Retrieved 15th September, 2019 from Trove

Google Maps https://goo.gl/maps/pMwsCiB2WLQgmzKZ6

‘Star Pictures’ The Border Watch, 17 May 1911, p. 2. Retrieved 15th September, 2019 from Trove

Star Theatre Exterior, viewed 15th September 2019 https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+15185

Star Theatre Interior c 1920, viewed 15th September 2019https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+15203

Star Theatre Interior c 1925, viewed 15th Septemberhttps://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+15202

‘Tonight, tonight; Star Pictures’ The Border Watch, advertisement, 17 May 1911, p. 3. Retrieved 15th September, 2019 from Trove.